New Halifax restaurants will cater to many tastes

By COLLEEN COSGROVE Business ReporterPublished April 17, 2012 - 7:17pm

Spring has sprung in Halifax and restaurants are sprouting up everywhere.

From authentic northern Chinese cuisine to handmade dumplings, local made-to-order burgers and mouth-watering Neapolitan-style pizza, the impending opening of several new restaurants — two on Quinpool Road and one each on Dresden Row, Morris, George and Barrington streets and Lacewood Drive — has a little something for all tastes.

FLIPBURGER

The gourmet burger trend is coming to Clayton Park.

Flipburger, the brainchild of Chris Tzaneteas, the restaurateur behind ela! Greek Taverna, Argyle Bar & Grill and former downtown establishments such as Seven Wine Bar and Restaurant and Mosaic Social Dining Lounge, is set to open in mid-May.

The dine-in and takeout restaurant will call 277 Lacewood Dr. home — beside the high-traffic Cora’s Breakfast & Lunch in a parcelled-off section of the former Blockbuster.

The move into fast-food territory is something Tzaneteas said has been a long time coming and is not just a reactionary move on the heels of the success of other gourmet burger joints in the Halifax area such as Cheese Curds Gourmet Burgers + Poutinerie and Relish Gourmet Burgers, also opening soon on Quinpool Road.

Tzaneteas said he was convinced gourmet burgers was the route to take after learning the speciality burger industry has ballooned by 30 per cent in the last year.

“People want affordable food done right,” he said.

“And that’s our whole concept. We’re leaving as little as a footprint as we can, sourcing out local, top-quality meat and toppings and keeping it local and sustainable whenever possible.

Using its green motif as inspiration, Flipburger takes the eco-friendly approach a step further by using biodegradable packaging and reclaimed wood in its interior designs.

TRULY TASTY

A promising sign has appeared in the window of 6214 Quinpool Rd.

Caffe Sospeso Plus vacated the quaint storefront late in 2011, but the space will soon be transformed into a haven for those with a hankering for fresh, handmade noodles and dumplings.

The listed owners of Truly Tasty, John Di Costanszo and Jian Li, could not be reached for further comment Tuesday.

JINCHENG CHINESE CUISINE

Brown paper has lined the windows at 1567 Dresden Row for weeks, but soon the smell of Chinese delicacies should waft out of Unit 7.

Spearheaded by Steve Zou, a Dalhousie University engineering professor, preparations inside are underway for Jincheng Chinese Cuisine to open sometime this spring.

PIATTO PIZZERIA + ENOTECA

Morris Street is edging into Pizza Corner territory with the impending opening of its second speciality pizzeria.

Work is underway for Piatto Pizzeria + Enoteca of St. Johns, N.L., to make its first foray into the Halifax market with a prime space on the ground floor of Vic Suites.

An opening date has not yet been set, but work is forging ahead to get the pizza oven fired up as soon as possible, according to an employee in Newfoundland.

The restaurant’s website said the eatery brings the culture of Naples and serves up Neapolitan-style, thin-crust pizzas crafted using traditional methods and ingredients.

RED WATER RUSTIC GRILLE

The planned eastern market expansion is underway for the Vintage Group of Calgary, according to Canada Restaurant News online.

The group, which runs five other restaurant concepts, will introduce its Red Water Rustic Grille to the Halifax market in June.

The Canadian chain, which bills itself as a chef- and sommelier-driven restaurant that features fresh and regional cuisine and award-winning wine lists, will be located in the former home of the Elephant & Castle on George Street.

Red Water first moved into the eastern market in Charlottetown. The 8,000-square-foot outlet in Halifax will feature a similar menu but be more than twice the size of its Charlottetown counterpart.

About 80 per cent of the menu is made up of core items, and the remaining 20 per cent is exclusive to diners in Atlantic Canada, Canada Restaurant News said.

TEMPO

Delta Hotels & Resorts recently revealed its plans to create a premiere restaurant and lounge at its Delta Barrington location on Barrington Street.

Tempo, a restaurant and lounge with room for 105 people, will open this summer.

“We’re looking forward to bringing a very contemporary restaurant to Halifax, something that doesn’t exist in the city today,” Stuart Jolliffe, Delta Hotels’ regional vice-president and Delta Barrington general manager, said in a recent interview.

Tempo will have a separate street-front entrance and will also feature a grab-and-go deli for business types on the hunt for a quick lunch downtown.